More than 30 passengers escaped unharmed after a US Airways flight was forced
to make an emergency “belly landing” at Newark Airport in New Jersey early
today.

Sparks flew from the runway as the turboprop twin-engine plane touched down without its landing gear, which had failed to deploy despite repeated attempts by the pilot, Ed Powers.

Mr Powers dumped the Dash 8-100 plane's remaining fuel while circling the airport, two hours after departing Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on a US Airways Express flight operated by Piedmont Airlines.

Airport safety officials wearing protective suits rushed to the runway and sprayed the belly of the plane with foam, in an effort to ensure that no fires broke out following the landing.

The plane was carrying 31 passengers, who were evacuated to the terminal by bus following the landing. Several took photographs of the plane and its relieved three-person crew, before posting them online via Twitter and Instagram.

A spokesman for the airline paid tribute to the crew. “They are trained to think quickly and assess the situation and act with the utmost professionalism,” he said.